Albert e



(No Model.)

- A. MGCLUR'B.

' "YBUGKL-E.

THE NAYAONAL LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY. I

wAsmmamn. a. c.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. MOCLURE, OFISEDALIA, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOCLURE I 'MANUFAOTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,544, dated May 8, 1 894.

Application filed July 11, 1893. Serial No. 480,177. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. MoOLURE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to buckles of that class in which a loop or device is provided for retaining the free end of the strap when the latter is secured by the buckle.

The object of my invention is to provid a simple andimproved buckle of this class which will possess advantages in point of simplicity and inexpensiveness in manufacture, effectiveness and convenience in operation, ease of adjustment, durability, and general efficiency.

In the drawings:-Figure l is a perspective view of a buckle embodying my improvements, showing the strap secured. Fig 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the buckle. Fig. 4 is a detail end view. Fig. 5 is a detail end view illustrating a modification. Fig. 6 is a detail View showing the end of the base plate and the pivoted retaining link, the parts being detached.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the base plate, which is. preferably ofopen or skeleton form embodying an open front portion, a, a front crossbar, a, a rear opening, a and a rear cross-bar, a Pivotally mounted upon the base plateA isan upper plate or member, B, preferably of corresponding skeleton or open form and having a cross-bar, b, dividing the plate into a main or rear portion, B, and an outer projecting portion, B which latter forms a free lifting end and extends outwardly over and beyond the front end of the base plate A.

The pivotal connection between the plates A and B is preferably formed by means of gudgeons or nibs, b b, projecting laterally at the rear end of the upper plate and having bearings in eyes formed in upwardly projectdownwardlyturned ends.

ing ears or lugs, 09a, provided at the sides of the base plate at a point a suitable distance in rear of the front cross-bar (1. Upon the rear cross-bar a? is pivoted a rear retaining link, 0, which is preferablyformed of wire bent into shape to form a main body portion or loop, 0, the ends of which are turned inwardly, as shown at c c, and downwardly, as at c 0 eyes, 0 0 being formed at these The eyes 0 c embrace the cross-bar a and have a bearing thereon respectively at or near each end of the bar, the bar being preferably circumferentially recessed or grooved, as at a a", to form bearing channels which are engaged by the bearing eyes of the pivoted retaining link. The retaining link 0 is thus pivotally mounted upon the base plate, in connection with the rear cross-bar a and extends transversely across the rear end of the base plate and above said crossbar. This pivoted retaining link may approximately correspond in width to the base plate, as shown in Fig. 5, or it may, by reason of the improved'construction and arrangement embodied in my invention, be readily lengthened so that its ends project out over and beyond the sides of the base plate as shown,thus giving the retaining link a materially greater width than the opening a. The herein described construction and arrangement facilitate or enable this widening of the rear retaining link in a comparatively inexpensive-manner and without sacrificing extreme'simplicity in construction.

In operation, the strap is passed upwardly through the opening a, over the cross-bar b, and downwardly again through the opening a, and its free end is passed rearwardly through the main loop or body portion of the pivoted retaining link 0 and is inclosed therein as illustrated in the drawings.

' The buckle may be secured in position by means of a" strap, 5, or other device secured in any suitable manner to the central portion of the cross-bar a between the bearings of the pivoted link 0.

When the pivoted wire link 0 has the ends of its body portion extending-out'over and beyond the sides of the base plate to form a loop of greater width than'the base plate or 'its opening a, the free end of the strap may IOO be provided with a'ring or similar device, R, of a width which will permit its passage through the loop or body portion of the widened pivoted link 0, but which will not permit it to pass through the openinga. The free end of the strap may thus be readily secured and at the same time the disengagement of the strap from the buckle, and its consequent re-threading when the buckle is opened or closed, are entirely obviated.

When the free end of the strap is passed through the loop or bodylportion of the pivoted retaininglink C, the latter may be turned down to an approximately flat position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that it will bind the end of the strap in position and retain it against accidental displacement or disengagement.

I claim- 1. In a buckle of the class described, consisting of the base plate having the front and rear cross-bars, a and a and the upper plate -or member pivotally mounted upon the base plate at a point in rearof the crossbar ct and having a cross-bar, 19, operating in conjunction with the cross-bar a, the pivoted rear retaining link embodying a Hat loop, 0, and having its ends formed with bearing eyes mounted upon the rear cross-bard, said rear retaining link extending transversely across the rear end of the base plate and being adapted to receive and secure the free end of the'strap when the strap is secured by the cross-bars b and a; substantially as set forth.

2. An improved buckle of the class described, comprising a base plate embodying the front cross-bar a and the rear crossbar whavingcircumferential grooves or channels, a, at its ends, a pivoted retaining link bent or shaped of wire and embodying the main loop or body portion 0 and having its ends turned inwardly and downwardly and provided with eyes engaging the grooves or channels a, the pivoted link being thus mounted upon the rear crossbar and havingabearing thereon and extending transversely across the rear end of the base plate, and an upper plate or member pivotally mounted upon the base plate and having the cross-bar 1); substantially as set forth.

3. An improved buckle of the class described, comprising a base plate having the opening a and the front and rear cross-bars 0t a the pivoted retaining link 0 bent or shaped of wire to form the main loop or body portion 0 having its ends projecting over and beyond the sides of the base plate and having the ends of the link turned inwardly and downwardly and provided with eyes embracing the rear cross-bar w, the pivoted link being thus pivotally mounted upon said crossbar and extending across the rear end of the base plate and having its main loop or body portion of a greater width than the opening a, and an upper plate or member pivotally mounted upon the base plate and having the cross-bar b; substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature i n presence of two witnesses.

J. R. LITTELL, II. S. SHEPARD. 

